Can you give me the interpretation of Proverbs 10:12?

Proverbs 10:12 says, “Hatred stirreth up strifes: but love covereth all sins.” The first part of this verse helps us understand the second part of the verse. When we act in a hateful manner, we do not forgive the wrongs that have been done to us. Instead, we bring the offending person’s wrongs up repeatedly, which stirs up strife. In contrast, when we act in a loving manner, we do not bring up the offending person’s wrongs, but rather cover them or keep them a secret.

Other verses address the importance of the offending person confessing and forsaking their sins, but that is not the subject here. The instruction here is to stay silent about an offending brother or sister’s sins, since that does not help the situation at all. Imagine how much more likely fellow Christians and ourselves would be to confess and forsake our sins if we did not gossip about things that have been done wrong!

May the Lord increase our love for one another so that we do not stir up strife with each other. As we read in 1 Peter 1:22, “Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit unto unfeigned love of the brethren, see that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently.” (271.4) (DJ)